Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zesty Yovanessa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Zesty Yovanessa’, characterized by its upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; light red purple-colored ray florets; and natural season flowering in mid October in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Zesty Yovanessa.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially known as a garden-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Zesty Yovanessa’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new garden-type Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences with desirable inflorescence forms, attractive floret colors and good garden performance.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yovanessa, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,825. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of the cultivar Yovanessa in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. in April, 2002. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable inflorescence form, attractive ray floret color and good garden performance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since June, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Zesty Yovanessa has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Zesty Yovanessa’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Zesty Yovanessa’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and somewhat outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plants.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped         ray florets.     -   5. Light red purple-colored ray florets.     -   6. Natural season flowering in mid October in the Northern         Hemisphere.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the parent, the cultivar Yovanessa, primarily in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar Yovanessa had lavender-colored ray florets. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered one day later than plants of the cultivar Yovanessa when grown under natural season conditions.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the cultivar Bold Yovanessa, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/764,864, primarily in ray floret coloration. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum were slightly smaller, but had larger inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Bold Yovanessa.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Yopam, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,844. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Yopam in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more outwardly spreading         than plants of the cultivar Yopam.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences         than plants of the cultivar Yopam.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum did not fade         as readily as ray florets of plants of the cultivar Yopam.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Lovebird, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,301. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Lovebird in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more rounded than plants         of the cultivar Lovebird.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences         than plants of the cultivar Lovebird.     -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum did not fade         as readily as ray florets of plants of the cultivar Lovebird.     -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about ten days later         than plants of the cultivar Lovebird when grown under natural         season conditions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Zesty Yovanessa’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of the cultivar ‘Zesty Yovanessa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horitcultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Alva, Fla. during the winder in a fiberglass-covered greenhouse under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial garden-type Chrysanthemum production. One cutting was planted in a 15.25-cm container in early December, 2002. Plants were pinched one time, that is, the terminal apex was removed to enhance branching, at the end of December. One week after the pinch, plants were exposed to short day/long night photoperiodic treatments until flowering. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 26° C. and night averaged 18° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Zesty     Yovanessa. -   Commercial classification: Decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the     Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Yovanessa, disclosed in U.S. Plant     Pat. No. 13,825. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About ten to twelve days             at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Perennial herbaceous             decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum. Inverted triangle with             mounded crown. Stems initially upright, then somewhat             outwardly spreading. Freely branching with lateral branches             potentially forming at every node. Moderately vigorous to             vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 26 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Internode length: About 1.1 cm. Aspect: Upright and             outwardly spreading. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to             146A.         -   Foliage description.—Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Length:             About 3.8 cm. Width: About 3.25 cm. Apex: Mucronate. Base:             Attenuate with truncate tendencies. Margin: Palmately lobed,             sinuses divergent. Texture, upper surface: Slightly             pubescent. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent; veins             prominent. Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 147A.             Developing foliage, lower surface: Darker than 147B. Fully             expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded             foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper surface: 147A.             Venation, lower surface: 147B. Petiole length: About 2.3 cm.             Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole color, upper surface:             147A to 147B. Petiole color, lower surface: 147B to 147C. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with             elongated oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals above foliage, arising from leaf axils. Ray             florets developing acropetally on a capitulum. About 13             inflorescences per lateral branch.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants             flower in mid October in the Northern Hemisphere.         -   Inflorescence bud (before showing color).—Height: About             4 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color (lower             surface of phyllaries): Close to 147A.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.6 cm. Depth (height):             About 2.1 cm. Disc diameter: No disc florets observed.             Receptacle diameter: About 3.5 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 2.25 cm.             Corolla tube length: About 2.5 mm. Width: About 4.5 mm.             Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Fused. Texture: Smooth, glabrous;             satiny. Surface: Incurved to mostly flat. Orientation:             Initially upright, then perpendicular to vertical. Number of             ray florets per inflorescence: About 125 in numerous whorls.             Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close             to 155D overlain with close to 70A to 71A. When opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D underlain with             close to 70A to 71A.         -   Disc florets.—None observed.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 20. Length:             About 5 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             surface: Smooth, waxy. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent.             Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 147A.         -   Peduncle.—Length: First peduncle: About 2.5 cm. Fourth             peduncle: About 4.8 cm. Seventh peduncle: About 6.4 cm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45°             from vertical. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Gynoecium: Present on ray florets.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Chrysanthemums. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been     observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from     0 to more than 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zesty Yovanessa’, as illustrated and described. 